Please provide your membership information below. Household members should enter first and last name while organization and business members should enter the name of the legal entity. Organization and business members should provide the full name of the member's representative casting the vote.
THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE ENERGY COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION OF PENNSYLVANIA. THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED AS DIRECTED. IN THE ABSENCE OF DIRECTION, THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED FOR THE EIGHT (8) CANDIDATES LISTED ON THE ENCLOSED BALLOT FOR ELECTION TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
ALL MEMBERS ARE URGED TO COMPLETE THIS PROXY ONLINE BY SECURE WEB FORM OR, FOR THOSE MEMBERS WITHOUT AN EMAIL ADDRESS ON FILE WITH THE ENERGY CO-OP, BY DATING, SIGNING, AND PROMPTLY RETURNING THIS PROXY DESIGNATION IN THE ENCLOSED RETURN ENVELOPE SO THAT YOUR MEMBER INTEREST MAY BE REPRESENTED AT THE MEETING SHOULD YOU NOT BE ABLE TO ATTEND IN-PERSON.
Below are the candidates up for election during this year's Board election. After reviewing the information provided about candidates, please check for, against, or abstain for each.
Board member since 2020. Standing for second full two-year term. Represents Class A: Organization.
Glenn Bergman has lived in Philadelphia since the 1980s and was the General Manager of Weavers Way Co-op (the birthplace of The Energy Co-op) from 2004 to 2015. He then led Philabundance from 2015 to 2020 as its Executive Director. He previously sat on the National Co-op Grocers board and was involved in national cooperative issues and support. Glenn is a firm believer in the cooperative economy and community. Though he worked in corporate America for many years and in an independent restaurant group in Philadelphia as Executive Chef at the Commissary, he has always known that the cooperative model is a strong economic underpinning of the United States economy. From credit unions, cooperative housing, cooperative producer labels (like Ocean Spray, Sunkist, Organic Valley, and Cabot Dairy), cooperative daycares, and cooperative energy suppliers like The Energy Co-op, this method of business is important to him. Glenn lives in Mt. Airy and sits on three other boards: The Resolve Philly, Cliveden, and Food Moxie.
Statement of Interest: I joined The Energy Co-op Board because I believe the direction that it is currently going is much stronger today. I have switched all of my gas and electric for my home and two rental apartment buildings to supply from The Energy Co-op. I have informed the tenants and a few of them have also switched their electric supply to The Energy Co-op.
Candidate for Board of Directors. Standing for a first two-year term. Represents membership at large.
Maxine Dixon is the senior operations manger at the Philadelphia Energy Authority (PEA). In this role she helps lead day to day activities of the municipal authority and implements processes and procedures for the organization to become more efficient. Maxine works to keep PEA’s mission & vision at the forefront, to use energy as a tool for economic development and grow Philadelphia’s clean energy economy. Maxine has 8 years of experience in energy & operations. Prior to joining PEA she has worked with a start up and interned with PJM Interconnection, Chubb, and the School District of Philadelphia. Maxine has a B.S. in Economics from Drexel University with minors in finance and environmental studies. She serves as the Vice President of the American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE) Philadelphia Chapter, a professional organization focused on ensuring the input of African Americans and other minorities into the discussions and developments of energy policies, regulations, R&D technologies, and environmental issues.
Statement of Interest: As someone with a passion for energy and making renewable energy more accessible, I appreciate that The Energy Co-op provides an avenue for southeastern Pennsylvanians to purchase reliable options. Working at the Philadelphia Energy Authority as their Senior Operations Manager has giving me insight and connections to the players of the energy industry in Philadelphia. I believe my operations backgrounds will be valuable asset to the board and the future of the organization. I am prepared to volunteer my time and wisdom over the next few years to support the organization’s mission and look forward to collaborating with the other board members and staff.
Candidate for Board of Directors. Standing for first full two-year term. Represents Class B: Households.
Ron is a renewable electricity member and currently serves on The Energy Co-op’s Board of Directors. He led The Energy Co-op staff as its Executive Director for three and a half years through his resignation last summer. He was subsequently appointed to the Board and serves as chairperson of its Development Committee with a focus on identifying and working to secure external funding to further the cooperative’s mission and outreach. Prior to joining The Energy Co-op’s staff, Ron was a business attorney engaged in private practice for almost thirty years during which he represented a broad range of clients in the electric power industry, including those developing, constructing, and acquiring utility-scale solar power projects.
Statement of Interest: For both environmental and economic reasons, I believe it to be essential that Pennsylvanians work together to accelerate as rapidly as possible the transition from dependence on limited fossil-fuel supplies to infinitely available renewable resources. As a cooperative member, former staff member, and current director, The Energy Co-op represents for me a very important voice and means for doing so. I would be honored to continue to serve on its Board of Directors.
Board member since 2018. Standing for third full two-year term. Represents Class B: Household.
Damali Rhett Harding is an expert in the field of renewable energy and electric utilities. Harding has provided strategic advising to utilities such as Duke Energy, National Grid, and other major domestic and international energy companies. Currently, she works for Regulatory Assistance Program as the Principal and Acting U.S. Program Director. Additionally, her expertise is often requested for speaking engagements regarding energy as well as strategic management, leadership development, and community building. Previously, Harding served as Executive Director of The Energy Co-op and also served as Commercial Director for Enviva LP. She has also worked for IBM Global Business Management services and Deloitte Consulting as a strategy consultant. Harding holds an MBA from the Tuck School of Business and a BA from Dartmouth College. She is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and in her spare time works passionately to eradicate energy poverty. Damali lives in Washington, DC with her husband, daughter, and two cats.
I am a senior attorney at Earthjustice, a non-profit public interest law firm, and am based in Earthjustice’s Philadelphia office. My practice focuses on representing community groups at the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, the Philadelphia Gas Commission, and in court on matters relating to clean energy and climate justice. Prior to working at Earthjustice, I practiced law in New York City at a law firm specializing in environmental and clean energy law, where I primarily represented solar project developers. While in New York City, I served on the board of directors for the New York City chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, a progressive bar association. I maintained an active pro bono practice, including representing several New York City worker-owned cooperatives on corporate matters.
Statement of Interest: I am interested in serving on the board of The Energy Co-op because I am passionate about expanding access to clean energy. I see The Energy Co-op’s work to provide options for the exercise of customer choice on supply options as complementary. I think my experience on Pennsylvania clean energy regulatory matters will be helpful for The Energy Co-op’s mission and that I will learn a lot from how The Energy Co-op does business. More broadly, supporting the cooperative movement is meaningful to me, and I have in the past supported cooperative businesses through membership and through providing pro bono legal services to them.
Board member since 2020. Standing for second full two-year term. Represents Class C: Business.
Jay Reynolds is a Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Zenith Energy Management, an international liquids storage company with operations on three continents. Zenith Energy is a leading independent liquid bulk storage company with a focus on energy transition. At Zenith, Jay is responsible for execution of the Company’s global commercial strategy. Prior to his role at Zenith Energy, Jay was a Managing Director and member of the Board of Managers of LUKOIL Pan Americas, a subsidiary of LITASCO SA, where he was involved with business development and overall management of the company. Jay was previously an attorney with the law firm Blank Rome LLP and served as a principal in a boutique investment company. He received his JD from Temple University School of Law and his BA from Loyola University Maryland.
Statement of Interest: The Energy Co-op serves a critical role as a leader in the transition to a clean energy future. I am interested in continuing my service on the Board to advance the organization’s mission on behalf of its dedicated members and staff.
Sara Shannon is a senior product owner at Vanguard, one of the world’s largest investment managers, located in Malvern, PA. In that role, she leads a development team in delivering revenue-producing digital customer experiences for retail clients. She has served both active duty and as a reservist in the U.S. Marine Corps, where she currently a Captain in artillery with a HIMARS battalion. She has also worked for various elected officials, including two U.S. Senators and at the White House during the Obama administration. She has an MBA from the University of Virginia, where she concentrated in economics and entrepreneurism. Sara lives in Manayunk with her husband, sister, and cat.
Statement of interest: Climate change is the greatest threat facing the world today, and changing how we consume energy is a key part of the solution. I became involved in The Energy Co-op because of the great power this organization holds to harness consumer choice and directly increase the amount of renewable energy on the grid. I will be dedicated to helping the co-op grow its footprint, because when the co-op wins, everyone wins.
Board Member since 2021. Standing for a second two-year term. Represents membership at large.
Eloise Young is a retired senior executive with over a decade of hands-on experience leading the technology and strategic planning functions for PGW, the largest municipally-owned gas utility in the nation with 500,000 residential customers, and 19,000 industrial and commercial users. Eloise currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging, the largest Area Agency on Aging in Pennsylvania; Life Turning Point of Philadelphia, which provides food, shelter, and life skills training to women with children who are experiencing homelessness in Philadelphia; and the Mill Creek Urban Farm, an educational farm in the heart of West Philadelphia dedicated to improving local access to fresh, chemical-free produce. Throughout her career, Eloise actively encouraged women and people of color to pursue tech careers.
Statement of Interest: I look forward to continuing service on The Energy Co-op Board. I believe in clean, accessible energy for all.
As noted above, this year, we’re thrilled to host The Energy Co-op’s Annual Member Meeting at the Masonic Temple, 1 N Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19107 on June 22, 2023 at 5:30pm. The Annual Member Meeting is your opportunity to participate and learn about the state of your energy cooperative as well as to meet other members, staff, and Board members.
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